Commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Maltese women and children who arrived in Canada to join the men who had emigrated in May and June 1948 : reuniting families of first post -war Maltese emigrants across the Atlantic

Abstract

The Sunday Times of Malta’s June 17, 2018, edition contained an account of the men who went to Canada in May and June 1948 to seek a new beginning. They were, for the most part, the first post-war arrivals from Malta. In the summer of 1948, they were adjusting to life in their new surroundings. Maple trees had replaced the familiar palm trees. The abundance of grass was a source of amazement. Traffic lights, trains and even the fauna such as squirrels, raccoons and skunks fascinated them. The larger buildings, many of frame construction, were in sharp contrast to the limestone buildings of their homeland. Baseball was a confusing game, but at least there was football (soccer) in some of the larger cities, such as Toronto and London. Another novelty was the ubiquitous soft drink advertisements. A few months later there would be the cold weather, heavy snowfalls and piles of snow remaining for months.